


Noticed

by The_Wretched_Art_of_Nocturne (Duckfeet_Mcgee)



Category: Nevermoor Series - Jessica Townsend
Genre: Baz Charleton is an odious man, Cadence POV, Cadence-centric, Chase trial, F/F, Just something cute, Pre-Wundersmith, cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:14:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26493952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Duckfeet_Mcgee/pseuds/The_Wretched_Art_of_Nocturne
Summary: Morrigan Crow. On the surface she looked like half the other candidates there, slumped in her pristine white shirt and trousers, holding back tears. Nothing special about her. And yet, to Cadence she was perhaps the single most important person in the world. Because someway, somehow, Morrigan Crow could remember her.Or, Cadence gets noticed for the first time in forever and has  e m o t i o n s
Relationships: Morrigan Crow/Cadence Blackburn
Comments: 10
Kudos: 39





	Noticed

**Author's Note:**

> While waiting for Hollowpox to come out, I've been high-key OBSESSED with this series, and this ship in particular. So when I saw the lack of Mordence and fics in general, I figured it was time to "be the change I wanted to see in the world" and all that.
> 
> This IS my first published work, so any suggestions and constructive criticism would be much appreciated! <3

Cadence was never confused. _Never_. Confusing people was _her_ thing, leaving the most intelligent and collected people dazed and under her control. She confused people. _Never_ the other way around.

_And yet._

And yet there she was, standing half behind a pillar at the edge of Courage Square, stealing glances at what was perhaps the most spectacular, stunning, _confusing_ thing she'd ever seen.

Morrigan Crow. On the surface she looked like half the other candidates in the square, slumped in her pristine white shirt and trousers, holding back tears. Just another loser. Nothing special about her. And yet, to Cadence, she was perhaps the single most important person in the world. Because someway, somehow, Morrigan Crow could remember her.

Morrigan's head snapped up, and Cadence ducked behind the pillar at breakneck speed, heart hammering in her chest. She could practically _feel_ the ghost of Morrigan's dark eyes on her, and the thought sent unfamiliar heat rushing to her cheeks. _Pull yourself together, Cadence_ she thought, shaking her head, _you need to chill out._ However, no matter how hard the logical part of her argued, nothing could stop her from peeking back out after a minute and watching Morrigan trace idle patterns on the fountain's edge, Magnificat pacing beside her.

Cadence sighed. Their first encounter had certainly left quite an impression on her. After all, it wasn't every day that someone stood up to a girl like Noelle, let alone to help a complete stranger. And the whole thing had made a rather climactic build-up to her own Great Jell-o Debacle. Cadence had begrudgingly admired her for that, but she'd learned her lesson years ago about becoming attached to people who wouldn't notice that she existed, and was determined to put Morrigan Crow out of her mind (a task that proved more difficult than expected with the way Noelle and Baz went on about her).

Looking back on it, Cadence probably should have noticed something off at the Book Trial. Not only did Morrigan not listen to her advice, _but she'd ignored her while she was talking_. That had never happened before. At the time Cadence supposed she was just distracted, or perhaps had spoken too quietly? She'd been infuriated that whole day with the way Baz spent the whole ride to Wunsoc prepping Noelle for her trial, helping her study, telling her what to expect, all without giving the rest of the even the vaguest of instructions. So, with rage coursing through her veins, guilt from lashing out at the twins, and the same fuzzy, unfocused feeling that always seemed to come with Morrigan, it was no wonder she'd missed the signs. 

And then today. The Chase Trial. As Cadence had cowered in the middle of the road, prepared to meet her untimely demise because the people on their steeds couldn't even _see_ her, the unthinkable happened. Morrigan had _noticed_ her. The thought still set her heart pounding. She couldn't even tell which was more remarkable, the fact that she had almost died, or the fact that someone had _remembered_ her.

And not only did Morrigan remember her, she seemed to be completely impervious to mesmerism, outright denying Cadence's claims and arguing with her to the society official.

Cadence ducked out from her post again, gaze locking on a head of windswept black hair and a dejected expression that made guilt coil in her stomach. Morrigan had been brilliant, she thought, dusting the glitter of her hands. Morrigan _was_ brilliant. And she had certainly earned her place in the next trial, probably fifty times more than Cadence had. 

As she watched, the same fluffy gray Magnificat they'd ridden earlier made her way over to Morrigan, nuzzling her chin into Morrigan's hair in what looked like reassurance. Her face was murderous. Next, she saw Jupiter North practically _sprint_ across the square, ginger curls in a state of extreme disarray and face crumpled into a worried frown.

_He should be worried_ Cadence realized with a start, suddenly recalling something that Baz had told her.

"She's an illegal, clear as day!" Baz had ranted, throwing his hands around in erratic, sweeping gestures. "And the minute, the very _minute_ she fails out of the trials, it'll be straight to the slammer for North, and the little brat will be on the next train back to the Republic." here he had paused, considering. "Well, metaphorically that is. We don't _actually_ have trains to the Republic."

Cadence cursed under her breath. Searching the crowd, she watched with wide eyes as the Stink slowly seeped into the square. They hadn't been noticed yet, but were slowly closing in on Morrigan, led by a smug-looking officer with a ridiculous mustache. 

What had she _done?!_ Cadence held her breath as the officers moved in. Not only was she stealing Morrigan's rightful spot in the next trial, but she was getting _Jupiter North_ arrested and Morrigan deported! _I'll never see her again_ she realized. The first person _ever_ to notice her, and Cadence was about to get her booted out of the Free State!

_"Not on my watch"_ she grit out, squaring her shoulders and stomping back to the registration desk. "There's been a mistake." she practically shouted at the society official, before forcing herself to calm down. This wouldn't work unless she acted natural.

"There has?" the official replied, eyes already going glassy.

"Yes," she said carefully, keeping her enunciation crystal clear, putting every ounce of mesmerism into her voice. "That unicorn", she pointed out, maintaining eye contact "Is a fake. See? Someone's glued an upside-down ice cream cone to its head. I can't believe you didn't spot this earlier. And it's wings have been tucked away. You must confiscate the rider's acceptance letter and give it to Miss Morrigan Crow. The girl who rode the cat." 

The official stayed frozen, staring at the flawless unicorn in bafflement. 

"Now!" Cadence snapped, sagging in relief as he practically took off sprinting.

The unicorn belonged to Winston Dimpleton-Li, a mean-spirited candidate of Baz's whose knack was an exceptional aptitude for crochet. Cadence didn't feel the slightest bit guilty for knocking him out of the trials. After all, he hadn't the slightest chance of winning anyways. _Not like Morrigan_ she thought, smiling at her from the shadows as she accepted her letter. _Nothing like Morrigan._

She watched Morrigan giddily leap into her patron's arms, Jupiter turning his own megawatt smile towards the inspector. She watched the police pack up and trickle out of the square, disgruntled by her sudden intervention. And finally, she saw Morrigan, Jupiter, and the Magnificat practically _skip_ out of courage square, patron and candidate arm-in-arm. 

_We'll meet again, Morrigan Crow_ Cadence thought, slipping out of the square and into the emptied streets of old town. _If I have anything to say about it._

**Author's Note:**

> I might have stretched cannon slightly but shhhh


End file.
